April’s concert calendar looks like a music lover’s collection run amuck with the shuffle feature. You want indie rock? You got it? Hypersexual rappers? We got that too. What about a man with a machine that commands audiences to take part in strange rituals? Well, sure. It is Lawrence, after all. We see it all. There’s surely something in this smorgasbord for every type of music fan, but let’s narrow it down to just a few to start. Here are our best bets for live music in April in Lawrence
Dan Deacon
The Bottleneck | April 1
The month kicks off with what will surely be a show for the books. Baltimore-based Dan Deacon is a sort of mad scientist of electronic music, combining electrifying sounds and noises backed by his extensive musical-know-how. The musician used to stop by on a regular basis in Lawrence, a perfect setting for his extravagant concerts that were heavy on audience participation. We’ve seen him conjure up dance parties, competing teams, and the biggest conga line you’ve ever seen during previous Lawrence stops. If you’re not in the mood to watch the Final Four, this is the place to be.
RIYL: Of Montreal, Dirty Projectors, weird stuff
This is a clip we took at a previous Dan Deacon dance-off at The Granada TEN YEARS AGO.
Kevin Morby
The Bottleneck | April 6
Not sure how this show ended up at the Bottleneck and not a bigger venue, because it’s sure to sell out quickly. Kansas City native and friend of Lawrence Kevin Morby is fresh off his latest releases, the Music from Montana Story soundtrack, and last year’s This Is A Photograph. Morby has mastered the art of melancholy in his songwriting, conjuring up rich emotions and genuine connections with the listener. This is only amplified at his live shows, which solidfy the special bond with his fans thanks to his no-nonsense brand of indie rock.
RIYL: The Roseline, Bill Callahan, Kurt Vile
Various Blonde / LYXE / Flash Floods
The Replay | April 7
Various Blonde has consistently been one of our favorite psych-rock bands to see over the years because they’re constantly developing their sound. In addition to absolutely shredding on the guitar, we’ve seen them take their music in a new and danceable direction with their latest release, “Obtuse.” They’ll be paired with local new wave favorites LYXE and y’allternative rockers Flash Floods, both who produced albums listed in our top five favorite releases of 2022.
RIYL: CS Luxem, Kat King, R.I.Peter
Tennis
Liberty Hall | April 12
In the land of indie-pop bands, Tennis has been one of the mainstays. Now, with their sixth studio album, Pollen, they’re back out on the road with a Spring stop at Liberty Hall. They’ll be touting delicate lyrics supported by swooning melodies and harmonies, peppered in with hints of 90’s pop ballads that influenced them along the way. They’ll be joined by Katie Bollinger for the show.
RIYL: Chairlift, Wild Nothing, Perfume Genius
cupcakKe
The Bottleneck | April 22*
*Edit: Due to ticket demand, this show has been relocated to Liberty Hall!
If you like big energy onstage, head to the Bottleneck on April 22. cupcakKe’s brazen personality comes out through her music with hyper-sexual (and sometimes comedic) lyrics. The sure-to-be-explicit show promises lots of innuendos and tongue-in-cheek (among other places) remarks. Anything we write beyond the previous two sentences to describe cupcakKe’s shows will surely be pulled by our editors, so we’ll leave this one to your own google searches.
RIYL: Baby Tate, Cardi B, Rico Nasty
